Icemaggedon 2013

People have called the ice storm in Dallas Icemaggedon and Iceapocalypse... I agree. It's icy. We are used to a bit of snow, but ice is just strange. Work was shut down as well as pretty much the entire land of Dallas. Nick and I tried to chill out Friday eating what we had left... we waited to go to the grocery store because our new refrigerator was to come on Friday... still no fridge today... anyway, so we ate as many scraps as we could throw together. We took walks and watched kids playing hockey and played on the ice sheets in the street. In the middle of the night as the storm hit we got a small leak. Not much we could do at 4 am... then I was still hell bent on going to work. I went out to my car to try to de-ice it... I hear Nick yelling, but I cannot see out the window. I open the door and there is a huge tree limb in the yard. It must have fallen right after I walked under it to get in my car? Needless to say, I did not go to work. Our neighbors had it much worse when it comes to trees. It amazed me how the ice just pulled them down. It broke our Christmas lights along the walkway. That's mean.

Every party we had this weekend was canceled. The television became our best friend. It sounds sort of weird, doesn't it? Truthfully it makes me smile because when you seriously cannot drive and cannot really go anywhere everyone is forced to be together. Families are forced to hang out and enjoy one another. We ventured to Wal Mart today skidding a bit on the way. Atleast we have food! Then we went sledding over at Sean & Karen's! We had a blast! I have never done that in my life! As it got dark we made our way back to our little refuge because the ice was already getting very bad. Did I mention it was 80 degrees this week? Yes, Texas!

Last night I stood in the doorway for just a minute and stared into the backyard. It was quiet. The kind of quiet you can only understand in ice and snow. I have felt this way sometimes sitting in the mountains when I am skiing. It's just peaceful, like there is nothing out there. It was just pure beauty. Ice can be so scary and can stop our worlds in our little track of life. Everything is stopped. Everything is canceled. It's just us because it's a God thing. Perfection.

Our fallen tree

Neighbor's Tree

Karen

Nick and Julie's Wedding Slideshow

Wedding Rehearsal Video - Bridesmaids & Groomsmen

Fall Festivities

Each new season seems to excite me as I grow weary of the old season. Fall is surrounding us with beautiful scenery and crisp air. This weekend we ushered in Fall with a lot of happenings. We aren't usually ever just sitting at home anyway, but this one was "on the go."

Friday was Cody Shane's wedding. My best guy friend, my brother. He and Kristy got married in downtown Dallas so we went Friday night. Many of our Big Spring friends were there as well as the entire Rubio clan, my second family. The wedding was nice and modern. Kristy was radiant. I spent a lot of time leaving Nick to talk to our friends Sean and Karen while I walked around talking to old friends and the Rubio family.

Mr. & Mrs. Cody Rubio

Lifelong Friends Hamilton, Lauren & Blair

Santa Karen? 

 My parents were coming in town Saturday on their way to vacation so Nick and I began preparations for their visit. It rained all day, but that didn't stop us from getting out the grill! Nick's parents and my parents all came over for a feast! My parents had not yet seen our house. They loved it!!! At dinner we all just sat there talking. I was just simply at peace surrounded by my loved ones. The parents have left Chewy puppy dog with us all week. The cat is not thrilled.

Sunday morning Nick cooked us breakfast and Dad and Brenda left. I had Andrea's shower for Baby Kayla later that day so it was off to get ready for that! So good to see everyone at the shower. We had such a great time celebrating the upcoming baby girl!

Summer, Chaney, Stephanie, Andrea, Kathryn, Julie, Kerry, Kacie, Shyloh, Raelyn, Jana

Then it was time to take Chewy for a walk and go to sleep. What a wonderful weekend!

Honeymoon - Exuma, Bahamas

Our honeymoon was in Exuma, Bahamas at a Sandals Resort. Paradise right here, I tell ya! We arrived so tired from the 5 AM flight. I decided to take a nap right when we got there so I'd be able to have fun! The suite was beautiful with the most gorgeous view. Everything was just perfect. The first night was a bit windy so we ate a late lunch then went to the beach. You could eat different places at the resort, so the first day we ate at the Barefoot Beach place... we learned quickly the portions are very small. This lead to Nick having two dinners each night!

The first morning it was raining. We did the morning yoga which was quite funny, not like everyday yoga. Then we decided to take a kayak in the rain. Maybe that was not too smart. We did not even put on bathing suits as the clouds threatened rain all day. We walked around the resort and just entertained ourselves as much as possible in the rain. We ate at the French restaurant and Nick chose the lamb, I had escargot and fish. Nick wanted to try the duck, but we never went back to that actual place. We bounced around every night to different restaurants. That night we went to a chocolate buffet! The dancers pulled me up to dance and I'm sure I scared them with my dancing. It was so much fun to just hear them dance and sing. We went to the piano bar after that for some live music.

Games in the rain

French Restaurant

Rain!

Chocolate Buffet

The sun finally invited us to play so we took full advantage. We enjoyed the pool and took a catamaran out in the ocean ourselves. It was too windy to do the aqua bikes. You could make any drink in the world and there was food throughout the day. Nick ate and ate some more. One night it rained so hard we couldn't see. Good thing we were back to the room at that point. It was so funny. The power kept going out so we were trying to watch a DVD, but we kept having to restart it. Each morning I would feed the resort cats. They love fish from the breakfast buffet. They have the life just hanging out while people pet them all day! We finally had the chance to go to the golf course. Nick decided not to play as it was extremely difficult with all the angles of the ocean. We walked the course and took photos of the views though. It was perfect. Nick went to the driving range a few times though.

The moon was beautiful! This was my favorite place by the fire pits!























 We went in golf carts to this other area on the island to meet other honeymooners. We met a few other couples and played games. We had a really great time. The best part was meeting our new friends, Alex and Richard. They are from Canada and just so funny. I asked a million questions about Canada, of course! Richard and Nick were just as crazy as one another so they would do insane things while Alex and I rolled our eyes! One night Richard wanted to crash this wedding so he was all about it, but we talked him out of it. He was just a ball of fun. He and Nick had a blast.




We truly enjoyed kayaking and going in the catamaran on adventures. One day the kayak flipped and Nick got water stuck in his ear. For the rest of the trip he was miserable jumping up and down trying to get the water out! This is him being sad...

We got a couples massage which was such a highlight! We enjoyed an hour long pampering! There was a girl there getting married in a few minutes so we got to talk to her for a bit.

Our view from the room

The last night was a beach party. We met our new friends from Canada and hit the party. There was amazing food and the best dancing! We got to see a history of Jamaica and participated in a dance. A limbo man with fire carried me under the pole! After the party we made our way down the beach to this wedding. The four of us sat under this little hut as the rain hit. We were safe and dry, but the wedding people ran to take cover.

We did not buy this pig. He was cute though!

I think by this time as I have on my hat and sunglasses I was done with the sun! We spent most of our time in this hot tub because knowing me the pool was always too cold! The hot tub was huge! We would get a drink and hang out at the bar with the cool bartenders then chill in here. They made up this drink called a Hummingbird, frozen yummy is what I call it! They don't put much alcohol which is great for me, but that was our drink of choice.

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Nick wasn't too sure about our little propeller plane. This took us into Florida. I didn't like that it was so small as I hate flying anyway! There were about 30 people on board and I just tried to sleep most of the way.

We weren't ready to get back to real life! I sit and think of enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze of the Bahamas! Everyone was so kind and just amazing at Sandals. The food was superb and everything was just perfect. We had a wonderful time! The real world was waiting for us to begin our journey as husband and wife at home! Here we roll.... 

Adams Gray Wedding

Nick and I have been married for a little over a month now. Sitting down to rehash the day was just so important, yet so personal. I don't know if I feel married yet as I feel the same. There is just a simple peacefulness about it, but I'm still me. The day of our wedding Chandra, my Maid of Honor and I woke up early to work out at the hotel gym. We knew the day would be long and amazing. I knew I would see random family and friends in the halls of the Westin Park Central Hotel so I roamed around the eighth floor and talked to people as I saw them. Wendy brought us a catered brunch and the girls started to flow in as we got ready. We laughed a lot, listened to music and just talked as people came in and out of the suite. Wendy decided to do everyone's make-up and Brianne, my hairdresser, came to do everyone's hair. Everyone kept asking what I was on because I was so calm. I am never calm. The funny thing some people don't get is I'm calm in weird situations. I had worked so hard and been so stressed that there was nothing else to worry about! I was just ready and here it was!


The photographers started to flow in and I was beautified as much as you could Barbie me up! Chandra, Layna and Stephanie helped me into my dress which was just so funny. I was worried my Dad would cry when he saw me, but he was very calm and collected. We took pictures on one side of the hotel while the guys were on the other side. I didn't have any weird Come to Jesus talks or deep talks as some see in  movies, it was all just normal! I also didn't fret about my Mom being gone at all. I was a little worried people would talk about it all day, but they didn't. Brenda was my mother in all senses that day, of course. I had wrestled about the unity candle in my mind wondering if I was dishonoring my mother, but Brenda is my mother, too, not by birth, but she is. So, I wanted her to do anything and everything. I don't recall the ride to the church that much. I rode in Tiffany's SUV and they all stuffed me in there. We all sat in a little room inside the church before it all started. We reapplied make up and just enjoyed life. Lots of laughter.

As my Dad and I approached the doors, everything was quiet. I think I was a bit nervous, but overall I was just calm. We walked up the aisle and I was smiling looking at Nick. My Dad and Nick shook hands and Dad said, "This is where I depart" and kissed my cheek. This was not where he departed in my heart, he is always Dad and he is always right there! The sermon was amazing, I cannot say enough about Father Alfonse marrying us. It was all so very perfect. My hands were sweaty, I remember that, and Nick had a few tears in his eyes. Everything in the ceremony was perfect. That's all I can really say about it. God was there. It was beautiful.

The reception was wild, fun and amazing. Nick did more of the entertaining and I talked to each guest. I wanted everyone to feel loved and for them to understand what it meant to me to have them there. I didn't get to eat. I got a plate, but sat it down in the cigar room talking to old family friends, and somehow, I got pulled away! They would pull me away to dance a lot, but I don't really care for dancing so it was just sort of like shrugging my shoulders to go do it! It felt like the night ended way too quickly. We ran through rose petals on the way out. I have a million details I could tell, but it would take me more than a blog. The people, the friends, the family... it made everything perfect. Each person there meant the world to us. We are so very blessed. Words seem so imperfect to explain everything on our wedding day. It was the best day of my life. Not only did I marry my soulmate, but I was surrounded by my family and my very best friends, and so was Nick, what more can we ask?

Some of my favorite photos:

Nick sent me a voice recording - SWEET.

Andrea Mayard                                    Chandra McBee Brooks

          

Stephanie Stewart Piercefield

 

Stephanie Brown Tettleton

Jana Seibold

D'Layna Smith

               

Tiffany Nolder Williams

Wendy Walker

We used Mom's, Granny Jac's & Grandaddy Bill's old Bibles

The Gray Family

Erichson, Matt, Ashton, Tony, Nick, Geoff, Justin, Tony, Brandon

Colby McDaniel

Nieces Saige & Rylie; Colby

Julie's Family

Adams & Hester Family

Texas Tech Alumni Cheerleaders Fight Song

KD! Sarah, Heather, Melissa, Tiffany, Keilly, Anna, Jana, Cristin, Stephanie

Very special family friends: Ron, Marisue, Suzanne, Tami, Ty & Joy

Chandra, Casie, Heddy, Julie, Emily - Go Big Spring Steers!

Shyloh, Kerry, Julie, Andrea, Kacie, Jana

Jessica Cobos

My shoes with their lucky penny

KD Ladies, Jessica & Paige